


Home for the Holidays

by Pixie (magnetgirl)



Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Family Fluff, Holiday Fic Exchange, Sarek and Amanda Adopt Everyone, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:47:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21863191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnetgirl/pseuds/Pixie
Summary: Amanda invites Michael's boyfriend to family dinner, not realizing they'd only just met.
Relationships: Michael Burnham/Ash Tyler | Voq, Number One/Spock
Comments: 11
Kudos: 34
Collections: Star Trek Secret Santa 2019





	Home for the Holidays

**Author's Note:**

  * For [strangeallure](https://archiveofourown.org/users/strangeallure/gifts).



> This isn't quite the coffee shop au you requested, but I hope it fits the happy fic you were looking for. After some deliberation I decided to change the Vulcans' names, I hope they are still recognizable. This is definitely modeled after the Netflix/Hallmark/Lifetime Holiday genre but avoids cultural specifics (though it is influenced by my own interpretations) as I wasn't sure of yours. I enjoyed putting this together for the exchange and I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

"Name for the cup?"

"Michael."

"That's unusual." Or at least something to talk about.

Her phone beeps as she makes a face.

Maybe the wrong thing to talk about. "Sorry."

Michael looks up. The barista - who is, in a word, beautiful - flashes a sheepish smile.

"No, I-" She purses her lips. " _I'm_ sorry. I'm just…"

The phone beeps again.

"Holiday frenzy?"

"Something like that."

Another beep.

He chuckles. "Someone really wants your attention."

"My mother," she explains with a grimace.

Ah. His look is one of understanding and she is compelled to go on.

"She's planned this dinner...everybody else has RSVP-ed apparently."

He cocks his head. "Big family?"

"No." Maybe? No. "I don't know," she admits. "I have two brothers."

His eyes narrow, looking her over. "You're the middle child."

She blinks. "How did you... ?"

"It's a vibe I get." Despite his affability, there is an intensity to his gaze. "You like to keep the peace. And sometimes you resent it."

Her breath catches in her throat and something flutters in her belly. How can a stranger understand her so well?

"Venti Flat White for Michael?" The shout breaks the spell and her cheeks flush, suddenly self-conscious. 

"...I..." She points awkwardly toward the counter and the other barista holding her drink. "...Bye."

She turns on the balls of her feet and scampers away, still blushing. Ash watches her pick up her order with a breathy thank you and take a seat by the window. She curls her fingers around the cup to warm her hands and steady her nerves. He signals to his manager that he's taking a break, pours a coffee of his own and wanders over to Michael. 

"Mind if I join you?"

She stares, a deer caught in the headlights, and doesn't - can't - respond right away. Finally, she shakes her head. "No," then again, as if realizing something, "No, not at all." She gestures to the chair opposite. "Please."

He sits. "So why don't you want to go to family dinner?"

"It's not that..." She sighs, absently taps her finger nails on coffee cup. "I have a lot of work to do." Ash watches her, quiet. She blows air over her teeth. "And my family is exhausting." He smiles. "But I _do_ have a lot of work to do."

"What do you do?"

"I'm a mediator." He raises an eyebrow. "Right," she acknowledges with a quiet laugh. "I like to keep the peace _professionally_."

"Sounds stressful."

"Maybe." She sips. "Yes. But rewarding. When it works."

"Michael!"

A flurry of shopping bags appears above their table, a mature woman, impeccably coifed and dressed, at the heart of them. Michael frowns.

"...Mom?"

"You didn't answer me," the woman scolds with affection.

Michael motions toward Ash. "I was..." Her eyes go suddenly wide. "Wait, did you track me here?"

"That's what 'find my phone' is for, dear."

"It's really not."

Ash coughs to cover his laughter and the woman turns her attention his way.

"Hello, I'm Amanda, Michael's mother."

She extends a hand, taking care not to jostle her gifts. He grasps it with equal care.

"Ash Tyler."

"I am delighted to meet you. Did Michael tell you about dinner tomorrow?"

"She mentioned it, yeah."

Her face lights up. "Wonderful! Oh, I'm so thrilled, everyone will want to meet you." Ash glances to Michael, a look of panic starting to spread across her face as she catches up with Amanda's words. "Now, do you have any dietary restrictions?"

"Mom-"

"My husband is gluten free."

"Mom, he's not-"

"And we're all vegetarians, I hope that's all right?"

Michael grabs Amanda's arm. "Mom, he's not coming to dinner."

"Of course he is! Everyone will want to meet your boyfriend." She pats Michael's hand.

"He's not my-"

"Don't worry," Amanda tells Ash with a teasing smile, "we're not as intimidating as she says."

"Mom!"

Her shout echoes, a few other patrons turn to the tableau by the window and Michael wants to disappear. Ash waves the attention away and tries to diffuse the situation.

"Vegetarian is fine, ma'am."

"Brilliant." Amanda pulls Michael into a half-hug, the two all but disappear behind the bags before she straightens and addresses her and Ash both in turn. "See you tomorrow." She sweeps away.

Michael turns to Ash with wide eyes and a blank expression.

"What just happened?"

He leans in, elbows on the table. "I don't have to go if it's too weird." He snakes a hand across the table to cover hers. "But if you... need a friend...?"

She imagines showing up without him, having to explain to her mother, to her whole family because she knows with certainty Amanda has already texted the lot to tell them about Ash, and feels immediately sick. Her eyes focus on his hand over hers. 

"You'd do that?"

"Sure."

She looks up, meets his eyes. "You don't even know me."

"I'd like to get to know you."

A silence grows between them, oddly not awkward. What the hell.

"...Okay. 6:00."

A tall beared man with long hair and twinkling eyes greets them at the door. "You must be Ash."

Oh god why did she agree to this.

"I am," he confirms and extends a hand. The man, who, it should be noted, is dressed like some kind of Tibetan monk, or possibly a Jedi, grabs the hand and pulls him into an effusive bear hug that all but pulls Ash off his feet..

"Great to meet you. I'm Sy." He lets go and steps back. "Come in, come in. Mom's in the kitchen," he tells Michael, who is clutching a bottle of wine like her life depends on it. She nods but sticks with Ash as they follow Sy into the living room. It, and the whole house, is decorated with bright lights, florals and knickknacks that represent a wide variety of holiday traditions. Michael's blended family has backgrounds in a few different cultures and Amanda wants everyone to feel at home.

Sy takes the bottle and passes them tumblers of punch, thankfully spiked. "So how long have you been dating?"

"We are just friends," Michael stresses as she takes a generous gulp of the drink. 

"Okay." Sy's expression of amusement makes it clear he's placating her but she's saved a response by the appearance of her younger brother and a tall woman with bouncing brown curls who carries a pile of gifts to the piano.

"Hello Michael."

"Hi Zane." Her brother peers at Ash, taking measure. Zane is nothing if not direct. "This is Ash Tyler. My friend."

Zane inclines his head. "Hello."

"Pleased to meet you."

An increasingly awkward silence grows as Zane stares, Michael wants to crawl away, and Sy wishes he had popcorn. 

The tall brunette steps into the scene with a winning smile.

"Hello, Ash. I'm Zane's friend."

Sy swallows a guffaw. Ash shakes her hand.

"Hi." She pulls Zane away to get a drink.

"He doesn't mean to be hostile," Sy tells Ash, conversationally, "Zane was born a forty year old stoic with intimacy issues."

"Be nice."

"I'm always nice."

Michael massages her temples.

"I didn't take it as hostility," Ash says. "Just intensity." Sy gestures agreement. Ash turns to Michael.

"What's Zane's friend's name?"

"Who? Oh. Una. They work together."

"Ah."

"He works under her," Sy adds, with a suggestive smirk. Michael wants to strangle him, but they are interrupted again.

"Ash!" Amanda reaches for both of his hands and leans up to kiss his cheek. "Welcome to my home!"

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Oh call me Amanda." She drops his hands and gestures to the circle of sofas by the fireplace. "Please make yourself comfortable." All five young people settle at her direction. Amanda grins.

"So do you work at the courthouse, too?"

"Hm?" Ash blinks. "Oh, uh, no." He notices they are all watching him intently and starts to realize why Michael called her family exhausting. "No, I have a few different jobs but um, I'm an artist."

A collective gasp fills the room. Sy leans in. 

"Really??"

"...Really."

Sy claps his hands together in delight. "That's amazing. Never in a million years would I imagine Michael dating an artist."

"We're not dating," Michael explains, again, her lips pressed into a tight line.

Ash brushes her back with his knuckles, a gesture of support that only Zane takes note of, and keeps to himself. "Why do you say that?"

"Oh, I mean." Sy appears flustered for once. "Well, she's so practical. More practical than creative."

Michael frowns. Ash brushes her back again.

"I don't think that's true." She glances at him. "It takes a lot of creativity to do her job."

He meets her eyes and she smiles.

"Of course, you're right," Amanda interjects. "And we are _so_ proud of her." An older man appears in the archway between rooms. "Oh! Ash, this is my husband, Mark."

"It's good to meet you, sir." He stands to shake Mark's hand and Amanda beams. So polite! Mark raises an eyebrow and it becomes clear where Zane got his reserved personality.

"Dinner is served," he tells them.

Amanda claps her hands, ushers everyone into the dining room, and directs them to take seats around the table. When everyone is settled she raises a glass.

"We are so grateful to have all of you home, and especially Una and Ash, thank you for spending your holiday with us."

They clink glasses and sip. Like the decor, the dinner is a collection of different tastes and traditions. Ash spies latke, borscht, fruit salad, sweet potatoes, chestnuts, samosas, and an array of breads and stews. As they pass the dishes around it becomes clear everyone has their favorites and everyone, even Una, knows what each of them are. It makes him smile.

"Does your family live nearby, Ash?"

"No." He takes a breath. "My mother died six years ago."

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Amanda reaches across the table to squeeze his hand.

"Thank you."

"Was it sudden?"

"Mom."

Ash smiles at Michael's protecting him. "It's okay. Yes, Mrs. Grayson-"

"Amanda."

"Amanda," he accepts. "She was killed in a crash. A drunk driver."

"How awful." Amanda and Mark share a look. 

"Michael's parents were also killed in a car crash," Zane provides.

Ash glance over to meet her eyes. She nods.

"I was nine."

He takes her hand under the table.

"They were Mark's colleagues at the university," Amanda explains.

"I see."

A thoughtful moment passes.

"Well, enough melancholy," Amanda says, finally, and motions for everyone to eat. She smiles at Ash. "You are welcome here anytime."

Dinner is followed by games and gifts. Zane proves to be a trivia wizard, Una sings, Sy becomes increasingly spaced out as the evening progresses. Mark is as quiet as Amanda is bubbly and Ash has no idea how they ended up married until he notices the way Mark looks at her when he thinks no one is watching. Michael's tension slowly abates and Ash is treated as if he has always been there. 

"Don't be ridiculous I put fresh sheets on Michael's bed this morning." Amanda is determined they should stay the night - the week if she had her way.

"He didn't bring a change of clothes."

"Sy can lend him something." Ash hesitates. Michael chews her lip. "The streets are a mess. Everyone else is staying."

Ash nods. "Thank you, Amanda. I'll cook breakfast in the morning."

"Oh you don’t have to do anything!"

"I want to."

She squeezes his hand, and beams at Michael to indicate her wholehearted approval. Michael blushes and Amanda grins.

"Good night."

As her mother leaves, Michael and Ash turn to the single bed and her blush grows.

"I'll sleep on the floor."

Ash shakes his head. "It's your bed."

"You're a guest."

He purses his lips, concluding they are equally stubborn.

"It's big enough for both of us," he suggests. "I'll be a gentleman, I promise."

Michael's eyes grow wide in the low light. Ash crosses his arms. Yes, equally stubborn.

"Okay."

Michael changes into pajamas and Ash strips to t-shirt and boxers. He is beautiful all the way down, Michael decides, a thought that makes it only more awkward when they slip into bed and she can't settle, afraid to look at him or get too close. They finally choose to turn in, face to face, and rest an arms length away. Michael watches his chest rise and fall.

"I like your family."

She glances up. "I know they’re a lot."

He shrugs. "Maybe. But they're ... genuine."

Michael smiles. It's a lovely insight.

"I think they like you more than me."

Ash frowns. "They love you."

Her eyes are pools of vulnerability.

"So was Sy ...high?"

"Usually."

He chuckles. "And Zane and Una, are they…?"

"We've been trying to figure that out for three years," she giggles and their laughter fills the room.

"Thank you for coming."

Their eyes meet in the dark and they exchange shy smiles. Ash creeps closer, reaches out to her cheek. Her heartbeat speeds up as he leans in to brush her lips.

They wake to Sy staring down at them, a bundle of clothes in his arms and a twinkle in his eyes at the sight of their bodies entwined together.

"Morning sunshines."

Michael blushes, Ash grins at her.

"Okay, fine. He's my boyfriend."


End file.
